


Invisible Ink

by Fernon



Series: Soulmate AU [2]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I Tried, M/M, Soulmates, hopefully this is adequate, sort of a sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 03:26:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18380012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fernon/pseuds/Fernon
Summary: Jihoon's never had a name on his arm, and Soonyoung tries to help him get over that.





	Invisible Ink

**Author's Note:**

> So, for everyone that asked, here's a part two of Ink? You don't really need to read the first part, but it's highly recommended! This is unedited, so sorry for any mistakes. Enjoy!

Jihoon is undoubtedly  _ nervous _ for his date with Soonyoung. Date? No, not date.  _ Dinner, Jihoon. It’s just a dinner. _ He stands in front of the mirror in his bathroom, fumbling to button up the baby blue button up he had put on. It takes him three tries to get the buttons right, his hands are shaking so much. 

Then he starts on his hair, raking his hands through it, trying to straighten it out, and then he tries styling it in a little upwards brush, and then back, sweeping it off his forehead, and out of his eyes, but it ends up sticking up in all directions, now sticky and wet with the hair gel. Jihoon groans loudly and thumps his head on the bathroom counter, dramatically. 

“Jihoon? You okay in there?” Seungcheol, whom Jihoon had called specifically for this reason, calls through the door. 

“No. I can’t do my stupid hair.” Jihoon grumbles. The door opens, and Seungcheol chuckles at him. 

“I thought this was just a thank you, Jihoon? Why are you so nervous? You just met him last week.” 

“Shut up. If I knew why I was nervous, I’d try to fix it. I don’t know.” Jihoon whines, and tugs at his hair again, trying to get it to work. 

“Here, let me help.” Seungcheol swats Jihoon’s hands away and takes a comb and additional hair gel and sweeps the hair up and back with the comb, shaping it back perfectly, and Jihoon feels a wistful sigh leave his body. He misses when Seungcheol would do this for him in the mornings before work, and would sit him on the bathroom counter with his hands on either side of his hips and kiss him sleepily, and softly, and slowly. 

This feels too domestic. It feels too tender, and too familiar. Seungcheol taking care of him, and helping him like this, when he loves another, and has two soulmates waiting for him. Sure, Seungcheol had yet to meet one of them, and had just said goodbye to the one who was half a world away, until next June when he could visit again. Jihoon’s heart aches. 

To be fair, Jihoon would never know the feeling of having a soulmate. 

To be fair, he and Seungcheol had only broken up 11 days ago. 

But here Seungcheol is, being as supportive a friend as he can be, when he can’t fix the fact that Jihoon is alone, here he is helping Jihoon get ready for a date.

_ Not a date, dammit, Jihoon.  _

A thank you dinner. With a cute boy with pink hair. 

Who had made him realize that having a soulmate, truly, wasn’t everything. 

And Jihoon was  _ truly _ trying to remember that fact, and keep in mind that he isn’t the only one in the world without a soulmate. And he’s trying to remember that it’s okay that he doesn’t have a soulmate. His head gets it, his head and his body have, in fact, been trying to find ways to fill that void- he’s started putting his everything into going to the gym, and he picked up (or tried to pick up) knitting, as a hobby (it didn’t go so well and he kept tangling the yarn in his fingers, and had to try and pick through all the knots, only to tangle it with his fingers more). He’s even looking into coaching a youth baseball team for the spring.

But that doesn’t stop his heart from aching. And it doesn’t stop it from yearning for a soul to match his, a soul that his soul could tangle up with for the rest of his life, and connect with in the cosmos. 

Jihoon doesn’t realize he’s crying until Seungcheol’s thumb is wiping a tear away from his cheek. 

“Hoonie…” Seungcheol’s voice is soft and dances amongst Jihoon’s ears, and around in his head. 

“Don’t call me that, Seungcheol. Please. I don’t want to think about the past. I- I need to keep going, I need to think about the future…”

“Jihoon you’re not alone, knowing that Joshua is out there, and that Jeonghan is too, and they have expectations- or had expectations, in Joshua’s case- it’s terrifying, and the future is scary, and the past seemed so safe-”

“Seungcheol, stop. Stop comparing what you’re going through to what I’m going through. You have no idea what it feels like, to know you won’t ever have those people who will love you unconditionally. It’s not scary, it’s lonely, and it’s sad, and it’s- frustrating. It sucks, that Joshua wasn’t expecting some tall, handsome, foreign guy, with the nicest personality, and the charisma of- of- a goddamn movie star, or something, and a voice from the angels. God, Seungcheol, people would  _ kill _ to have someone like you for a soulmate. I’d do anything, I’d give anything, to know that someone like  _ you _ was the person I was going to spend the rest of my life with!” Jihoon huffs, and wipes the few more tears that fall down his cheeks. 

“Jihoon, I’m sorry, you know I am…”

“But there’s nothing you can do. I know. And I’m trying to tell my stupid heart that, too. It’s just slow, and stubborn and it doesn’t want to listen. I’m sorry, Seungcheol, I don’t mean to be like this…” Jihoon is about to tug at his hair- a horrible habit- when Seungcheol smacks his hand away. 

“Now, Jihoon, I know you’re feeling distressed, but you can’t mess your hair up when you have a date with the pink haired boy from the café.” Seungcheol scolds. Jihoon sniffles and laughs lightly. 

“It’s not a date, you dumbass. It’s a thank you dinner.”

“Make it a date, Jihoon. Ask him out again.”

Jihoon feels like choking. “No! Seungcheol, what the fuck! He probably has a boyfriend or something stupid. Why would he want me to ask him on a date?”

“Oh, nonsense. He wouldn’t have agreed to this dinner if he didn’t find you remotely attractive. You really think he just helps random crying strangers on the regular?”

“I don’t know! Maybe he does! He seems like that kind of a person…” Jihoon blushes. He may or may not have spent the last week texting Soonyoung every evening, and getting to know him. Jihoon will admit, he definitely finds Soonyoung attractive, and funny, and charming, and talented, and smart- the list goes on.

But Jihoon needed time. He’s still dealing with the fallout of Seungcheol, after all.

At that moment, Jihoon’s phone rings. Jihoon scrambles out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, Jihoon. Uh, it’s me, Soonyoung… I’m- we’re still on for tonight, right? Cause I was just about to leave… and head to the restaurant…”

“O-oh! Yeah! Of course! I’m just putting my shoes on now… I’ll see you soon?”

“Sounds good! I’ll see you there!”

“Bye…” Jihoon waits to hear Soonyoung hang up and then sets his phone down. His stomach is all butterflies again, and he’s nervous. 

“Well what are you waiting for, Jihoon? You’d better get going, or you’ll be late.” Seungcheol winks at him, and Jihoon rolls his eyes. 

“Oh, shut up, you.” Jihoon mutters, slipping off the bathroom counter and heading downstairs to slip on his vans, and grab his favorite leather jacket. He takes a deep sigh, and stares in the mirror in the front room. 

“You look great, Jihoon.” Seungcheol smiles. “If he doesn’t fall in love with you after seeing you all spiffy then he’s dumb, or blind. Or both.” 

Jihoon rolls his eyes. “Dude, we’re going to Olive Garden. And I’m wearing jeans. I’m not spiffy.”

“You put on a button down! And you did your hair. That’s spiffy.”

“Stop using that word, what are we, fifty? Shut up and get out of my house so I can leave.” Jihoon scolds, shooing Seungcheol out the door and shutting it behind him. 

“Good luck, Jihoon. Win him over.” Seungcheol winks. 

“Shut up.” Jihoon shakes his head and gets in his car, making Seungcheol laugh and give him a wave as he gets in his own car and drives off. Jihoon heads for the restaurant about twenty minutes away. Jihoon pulls into the best parking spot he can find, and hurries in, looking around for Soonyoung. He’s asked about a table, but he declines, explaining that he’s waiting for someone. Jihoon takes a seat at the waiting time benches, and pretends to check his phone.

Eventually, checking his phone turns into scrolling through Facebook for twenty minutes, and not even a text from Hoshi. Jihoon begins to feel that familiar feeling of disappointment bubbling up in his stomach and chest, and his heart sinking. Of course Soonyoung is standing him up. Why wouldn’t he? 

Why is Jihoon even disappointed? Was he really looking forward to this date?

_ Shut up about the date thing, Jihoon! It’s not a fucking date! _ Jihoon internally kicks himself for the millionth time, and stands up, about to leave, when Soonyoung bursts through the door, looking frantic. 

“Jihoon! I’m so sorry that took so long! There was an accident on the main road, so traffic was backed up so bad.” Soonyoung whines. “I feel awful. I’m so sorry.”

Jihoon blinks. Traffic?

Great, Jihoon feels like an asshole now, for assuming that Soonyoung stood him up. 

Soonyoung’s brows furrow.

“You thought I stood you up? Oh fuck, I’m so,  _ so _ sorry, please forgive me, Jihoon!”

Jihoon swears. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud- shit- I’m sorry! You’re forgiven, please don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s alright, really. Traffic is a bitch, I understand!” Jihoon feels even worse now. 

“Lets get a table, yeah? I’m so hungry.” Soonyoung grabs his hand and marches them up to the host desk, and the hostess grabs two menus and brings them to a table in a quiet corner of the restaurant. They sit opposite one another, and both order a water, and once it’s just the two of them, they pretend to look over the menu. It’s a strange silence, somewhere between comfortable and awkward. If that makes sense. 

“So… I tried to learn how to knit.” Jihoon starts. 

“You’re taking my advice? How did knitting go?” Soonyoung looks up at him. 

“Terribly. How the fuck do people do that? It just kept getting tangled in my hands. Seungcheol said I looked like a cat. Playing with yarn. I need to find a new skill to learn.” Jihoon laughs lightly, and Soonyoung’s face breaks out into a grin and he laughs loudly. 

“Aw, that sounds cute!” Soonyoung’s smile reaches his eyes, and Jihoon’s heart flutters. It’s the cutest smile Jihoon has ever seen. 

“It was not! I couldn’t get it untangled.” Jihoon pouts, but it’s fake, because his stomach is all butterflies. Soonyoung is about the only one he’s okay with calling him cute. 

“Oh my gosh! That’s even cuter!” Soonyoung coos. Jihoon glowers, but it’s more show than real anger.

“Oh hush. I’d like to see  _ you _ try to knit.” Jihoon mumbles. Soonyoung smiles adoringly- adoringly?!- at Jihoon, and reaches over to pat his hand. Jihoon’s heart feels like it’s going to leave his chest. 

“It’s okay, sometimes it takes a bit to find a skill you like and can focus on, or get better at.” Soonyoung advises. Jihoon nods.

“I’m looking into pottery now. Or maybe writing? I don’t know, I think poetry is cool.” Jihoon says softly. Soonyoung nods.

“Good! Try them out. Something will stick.” Soonyoung smiles. “I went through a lot of different ‘trial’ things. I tried yoga but I can’t sit still like that, and be all… calm. I guess. So that was over after a class. I tried cooking classes until I realized it was a couples thing, and it ended up making me more miserable. Oh, and then I tried to get into art, and that was… Let’s just say, that’s one thing that actually requires talent. My art looks like a five year old’s finger painting.” Soonyoung laughs, and Jihoon laughs with him.

“I started going to the gym, every day now, I used to just go on Sundays and Wednesdays, but I think I’m going to work out more. It makes me feel good, like I accomplished something. I’m also coaching a youth baseball team this coming spring. I think that will be cool, I used to play baseball when I was younger, so I think it’ll be cool to teach kids how to play.” Jihoon shrugs, like it’s nothing.

“That’s so cute! I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun.” Soonyoung agrees. They chat for a while over dinner over their hobbies, and Soonyoung brings up his cat, named Mellie, and shows Jihoon pictures of the fluffy gray cat, and Jihoon’s smile grows. They talk about childhood pets, and Jihoon explains how one day he wants to get a Great Dane someday, when he’s not in a tiny apartment in the city, and Soonyoung laughs, because ‘the dog will be bigger than Jihoon is.’ Jihoon doesn’t deny that fact. Then they talk about their dream homes, and they have  _ wildly _ different tastes there.

Soonyoung explains his dream of a tiny ranch in the countryside, with a huge lawn and a big red barn somewhere on the property, and maybe starting a little farm, just some chickens and a horse, or a goat or something, and having a pond in the yard, with ducks or geese. Jihoon, on the other hand, wants a big Victorian style house, in a small town somewhere, in a nice neighborhood, with a decent backyard, and a fireplace in the living room, something to cozy up in front of, and at most he wants a dog or two and maybe a cat, but he’d pass up the farm.

They both talk about the city, and wanting to be away from it sometime soon, and they both talk about wanting to meet new people and go to far away places. Soonyoung says someday he wants to see Rome, and tour Italy, and taste all their food, and then he says he wants go to Paris, but not until he’s in love, and that he wants to do all the romantic things people talk about there. 

Jihoon sighs wistfully. A romantic getaway in  _ Paris, France. _

There’s that pang of sadness again, in his chest. 

“What about you, Jihoon? Where do you want to visit?” Soonyoung asks, pulling Jihoon away from that train of thought before he can even get on it. Jihoon blinks, and then takes a moment to ponder it. 

“Spain. I don’t know why. Or maybe Hawaii or something. I don’t know why either… But… Paris… Paris would- I don’t know if I’d want to go to Paris.” Jihoon says. 

“Why not Paris?”

“The city of love? Not- well… Maybe it’s because I’m- the breakup, or- or this… knowledge, that I don’t have… _ love?  _ I don’t know, Soonyoung. It just- It doesn’t seem like it would be right… It’s… It’s like torture. Why would I want to go the city of love, knowing I don’t  _ have _ a love… You know?”

Soonyoung shrugs, but nods. “I suppose. But my cousin just got engaged, and she’s doesn’t have a name. You can still find love, Jihoon. It’s possible.”

Jihoon nods. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Hey, it’s getting late, we’ve been here for almost three hours…” Soonyoung giggles. “Maybe we should leave, so they can have their table.” 

“Really? It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long….” Jihoon checks his watch, and sees that yes, indeed, it has been three hours. The waiter  _ had _ brought their bill around quite a while ago, now that Jihoon thinks about it. He takes the tab and glances at it, and nods, and slips the cash into the tab, and then leaves some extra cash on the table for the waiter, and then stands, walking out of the restaurant with Soonyoung. 

“I parked over that way,” Soonyoung points in the direction, and looks to Jihoon. 

“I parked the other way. I’ll walk you to your car though.” Jihoon offers a smile, and Soonyoung nods in agreeance. Soonyoung links his arm with Jihoon’s and starts off towards where he’s parked. Jihoon can feel the blush rising on his cheeks, because  _ Soonyoung just grabbed his arm, Soonyoung’s arm is linked like his, oh good god, send help _ and Jihoon’s heart is going a mile a minute, and his insides are melting into a weird knot, and Jihoon is suddenly flustered with feelings. 

“Well, here we are!” Soonyoung turns to Jihoon when they stop in front of a car and smiles hopefully. Jihoon stares up at him, looking at all the sparkle in Soonyoung’s eyes, and taking in his soft smile, and his round cheeks. 

Jihoon nods, almost entranced. His heart flutters a bit when he notices Soonyoung moving, and- fuck, is he leaning in?!

Jihoon feels a soft pressure on his cheek, and just as fast as it happened, the pressure is gone, and Soonyoung is moving away. 

“I had a great time, Jihoon. I’ll text you when I get home. Bye!” Soonyoung gives him another smile and climbs into his car. 

“Yeah… Bye…” Jihoon blinks in shock and listens to the car engine starting, and sees Soonyoung wave as he pulls away. 

Soonyoung kissed Jihoon. 

Soonyoung kissed Jihoon.

Soonyoung  _ kissed _ Jihoon.

Jihoon’s heart is fluttering at the thought, and his stomach is all full of fluttery feelings and his whole body feels like it’s floating. Jihoon’s hand subconsciously reaches up to touch the spot on his cheek, as if he’s waiting for the feeling of Soonyoung’s lips to return. 

Okay, Soonyoung kissed Jihoon’s cheek. 

What the fuck does that mean? 

Jihoon shakes himself out of his dreamy state, hurrying to his car and getting in, before he immediately calls Mingyu. Mingyu, the ever faithful, answers, despite it probably being a wild time wherever he is in China. 

“Jihoon! Hi. How you holding up?” Mingyu had been filled in on everything (thanks, Seungcheol, you loud mouth) and was very aware of Jihoon’s upcoming thank you dinner, and had told him to keep him updated, or to call him if he needed to get out of the date. To which Jihoon had insisted that it wasn’t a date.

“I just- dinner, with Soonyoung- and- he- I- he kissed me.”

“HOONIE HE WHAT!? THAT’S AMAZIING!” Mingyu shouts over the line, and Jihoon winces.

“No- Gyu, he kissed me on the cheek- he- what does this mean, what do I do?” Jihoon sighs, and lets his head fall back against the head rest of the seat.

“You ask him out again, dumbass! But use the word  _ date _ !” Mingyu says. 

“No, Gyu! I can’t just- I can’t just do that!”

“Yes you can, stupid! It’s not that hard.”

“No, I mean- fuck, I’m not over Seungcheol, and I still- it still  _ hurts _ , Gyu. I mean- fuck, I- I don’t want to invest in something that isn’t going to- that’s not going to work, you know? I don’t want to get hurt again… Because someone will come around, they always do, they always will…”

“Jihoon, you can’t be afraid of love… It’s not fair on yourself, because- because you deserve to be loved… You should give him a chance, Jihoon. Fear or not.”

“Besides, I haven’t been on a date in like two and a half years, Gyu… I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing!”

“Jihoon, don’t make excuses. You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

“Well I can’t get my heart broken again if I don’t try.” Jihoon doesn’t mean for it to come out with such ferocity, but he feels backed into a corner, and he’s honestly a bit panicked. He likes Soonyoung. Soonyoung might even like him back, but- Jihoon has never been big on love, and he’s never been good at it, and he’s never been in a relationship that hasn’t gone terribly. He’s never been in a relationship where they didn’t  _ find someone else _ . 

And Soonyoung, name or not, would find someone else. Jihoon is a firm believer in that. 

“Well don’t shut him out, Jihoon. Even if you need more time, just- just tell him that, please. I don’t want to see you regret this later in life, and I don’t want you to be unhappy because you didn’t try to love.” Mingyu’s voice is more soft now, and it’s clear he feels bad for pushing Jihoon. 

“You’re right… I’m sorry, Mingyu.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s okay to be wary, and it’s okay to be cautious of love, but- don’t  _ fear it. _ I’ll let you go now, so we don’t rack up a huge phone bill. Bye, Jihoon.”

“Bye, Mingyu. Thank you.”

“Of course, Jihoon.” 

And with that, the call ends, leaving Jihoon to drive home with his thoughts. 

****

Jihoon is absolutely  _ hammered. _ And he has no idea how he’s going to get home, because Seungcheol is on a date with Jeonghan, and they’re probably having sex or asleep, with how late it is, and based on the messages he was sending to their friend’s group chat about how ‘damn flirty’ Jeonghan is, and how ‘nervous he (as in Seungcheol) is.’

Mingyu and Wonwoo are both in China somewhere.

And Jihoon refuses to call Soonyoung. 

Since their date two weeks ago, Jihoon has been having a crisis on whether or not he’d go out with the other again. He wants to- his heart feels empty, not being around the other, and his chest is tight but hollow, and his stomach erupts into a flurry of a weird fluffy feeling whenever he thinks about the other. Jihoon doesn’t know what to do. 

He doesn’t know what these feelings are. 

Meaning, even at the high point of their relationship (not that there were really any lows, Jihoon supposes) Jihoon wasn’t quite… feeling this way about Seungcheol. Sure, Seungcheol would make his heart flutter, but that was the basics of attraction. 

But Jihoon can’t seem to get Soonyoung out of his mind. And even when he was dating Seungcheol, being apart from him wasn’t a part of his every waking thought. So what does this mean?

Jihoon had decided to ponder this over a drink, but one drink turned into five, and then a shot turned into six more shots. Jihoon doesn’t honestly have any  _ fucking  _ idea what he’s doing, and before he really notices, he’s practically shouting into his phone.

“What do I doooo?” Jihoon groans. “Soonyoungie is so pretty and funny and smart… And he- he’s so kind, and- he makes me so happyyyyy! And he makes me all sad when he’s not around, and I get all fluffy inside when he  _ is _ around, because- oh and his  _ lips _ , Seungcheol, they’re so soft and pink and I want to  _ smooch _ them! Cheollie, why is it like this? Why do I like him so much? I didn’t ever feel like this inside when  _ you _ were around, at least not like this!” Jihoon is whining now, and every part of his body feels hot, and his head is swimming in clouded confusion.

“I uh- Jihoon, this isn’t Seungcheol…”

Jihoon gasps and his heart races, and his spirits lift instantly. “Soonie! Hiiiii! Why are you on Seungcheol’s phone? I miss youuuuu! I like you lots, you know?” Jihoon coos into the microphone on his phone.

“You… do?” Soonyoung’s voice is confused. 

“Of course! You’re pretty and you’re so funnyyyy… And I want to give you kisses!” Jihoon giggles loudly. 

“Well it didn’t seem like that when you didn’t call me for three weeks. Or ask me on another date.” 

Even drunk, Jihoon can feel the sour tone in his voice. 

“Soonyoung! Please don’t be angry… I texted you! I miss you! I didn’t- I don’t know what’s going on.” Jihoon’s face contorts into a pout, at the idea of Soonyoung being mad at him. 

“What do you  _ mean _ you don’t know what’s going on, Jihoon?! You just told me that you like me! Why haven’t you asked me out again?”

“Well I do! I just- you’re different!”

“Oh, so  _ that’s _ why you won’t ask me out again?”

“No, it’s- agh!” Jihoon lets out a frustrated puff of air, his brain not quite able to tell his mouth what he wants, not that his brain can really compute anything too meaningful at the moment. “It’s like you make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside- and- I can’t  _ stop _ thinking about you when you’re not around, and I just- I get so  _ sad _ that you’re not around me all the time, Soonie… I haven’t felt this way about anyone-” Jihoon hiccups loudly, and then giggles, falling into a whole fit of them. 

“You really mean that? Drunk and all?” Soonyoung’s voice is quiet, like he’s nervous.

“Yeah! Not even Cheollie made me all… fluffy and stuff. I mean, he did, but not like this. You’re always on my mind. Like. I  _ want _ you, Soonyoung, and I’ve only known you for like, a month!” Jihoon tosses his arms up. “A month is like this big! But that’s still small, to be having someone make me all fluffy inside.”

“Jihoon, let me come pick you up, okay? You’ve drank too much.” Soonyoung lets out a resigned sigh. “Just stay there- okay?”

“Okayyy! See you soon, honey!” Jihoon giggles and makes a smooching sound into the phone, and then stumbles off his barstool to dance some more. He dances for a while, ignoring anyone that tries to flirt with him, because his heart is  _ beating _ to the rhythm of Soonyoung. And his feet are moving to the beat of Soonyoung. And he thinks about nothing other than the moment he’ll see Soonyoung. 

A hand on his shoulder pulls him out of the crowd, and Jihoon staggers after the hand, craning his neck only to see Soonyoung towing him out of the club and into the cool night air. 

“Soonieeee!” Jihoon squeals and pushes his hand off so he can throw arms around the boy, who’s hair is now a bright shade of blue. “ Your hair is so prettyyyy!” Jihoon coos and plays with his hair, and Soonyoung rolls his eyes. 

“I sent you photos when I dyed it, Jihoon.”

“Shhh, it’s prettier in the night time! The moon makes it look all glowy and pretty.  _ You’re _ pretty. Y’know?” Jihoon giggles and boops Soonyoung’s nose. Soonyoung blinks. 

“Jihoon, come on, let’s get you to the car.” Soonyoung has quite the time with that, since Jihoon is clinging to him like a koala now, snuggling his face into Soonyoung’s neck. Soonyoung manages to get them both strapped into separate seats, and drives them to Soonyoung’s apartment, where Soonyoung guides a stumbling Jihoon up the stairs and onto the couch.

“Wait here, I’ll get you water,” Soonyoung promises, and before he can even turn to walk to the kitchen, Jihoon is on him, clinging to him like a small child to their mother’s leg on the first day of preschool. 

“I’m coming tooooo!” Jihoon giggles, his face buried in Soonyoung’s shoulder. With a sigh, Soonyoung pushes Jihoon off, just wishing he weren’t  _ so drunk _ right now, because  _ damn _ is drunk Jihoon clingy. But Jihoon just follows him to the kitchen, like it’s nothing, and accepts the glass of water that Soonyoung offers him, with grabby hands. He takes the glass in both his hands and chugs it down effortlessly, and then Soonyoung takes it and sets it on the counter, and ushers Jihoon down the hall to his bedroom.

“You can sleep in here, okay? Here’s a set of pajamas, I’ll see if I can find you a spare toothbrush while you change. Stay here, and  _ put on the pajamas _ . Do not follow me. Okay? I’ll be back momentarily.” Soonyoung sets a pair of pajama pants and an old t-shirt on the bed, and hurries to the bathroom, looking for a toothbrush. No sooner had he found one than Jihoon was upon him, cooing and trying to headbutt his side, like a cat. 

He had, in fact, changed into pajamas, at least. 

“Good job. Now brush your teeth, and use the bathroom. I’ll get you another glass of water, okay Jihoon?” Soonyoung hands him the toothbrush and points at his toothpaste, and then walks out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him, and retrieving the glass from before. He fills it, and digs through a shelf with a few medicines on it, for the pain relievers, knowing full well that Jihoon will need a few in the morning. He makes his way back upstairs, just as Jihoon is opening the bathroom door, rubbing his eyes sleepily. 

Soonyoung hands him the glass and points down the hall to his room again, and Jihoon shuffles there, a bit wobbly still. Soonyoung brushes his own teeth, and then grabs blankets from the closet, and brings them to the couch in the living room. Deciding he should check on Jihoon once more for the night, Soonyoung slips softly into his bedroom, to see Jihoon on his side, pouting, staring at the glass of water on the nightstand. 

“Need anything more?” Soonyoung sets the pain relief medicine on the bedside table, and looks at Jihoon. 

“Cuddles.” Jihoon demands, looking up at him with his eyebrows furrowed and his bottom lip protruding just the smallest bit more than his top one. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Jihoon…” Soonyoung  _ wants _ so badly to give in, but part of him tells him to wait, to slow down. 

“No. I want cuddles.”

With a sigh, Soonyoung nods. “Alright. Let me put on pajamas and shut off the lights, first. Soonyoung gathers a pair of pants and a shirt, and heads to the bathroom, changing, and then makes sure the rest of the house lights are off- stalling enough that he hopes Jihoon is asleep when he goes back in.

But, Jihoon is there, eyes barely open, yawning, staring at the door, like he was waiting for Soonyoung to come back. Jihoon just pats the bed next to him, and opens his arms. Soonyoung shuffles over in the dark, and climbs into bed beside Jihoon, and wraps him up- making sure Jihoon remains laying on his side. No sooner than he crawled in bed and was comfortable, Jihoon was asleep, emitting the tiniest, softest snores.

Soonyoung smiles fondly and falls asleep.

****

Jihoon wakes the next morning with a slight headache, and a rather embarrassing recollection of the previous nights events. Jihoon kicks himself internally. He had  _ not _ said all that to Soonyoung, had he? Jihoon spares a glance over at Soonyoung, who’s still got an arm around Jihoon, but is scrolling through his phone, his hair sticking up in the weirdest,  _ cutest _ little bumps, and Jihoon can only stare at how soft he looks. 

Soonyoung must feel him looking, because he looks over and a small smile breaks out on his face. “Good morning, sleeping beauty. Or should I say, good afternoon?”

“ _ Afternoon?” _ Jihoon groans a little. Soonyoung lets out a ‘nose laugh’ sort of sound, and smiles a bit more. 

“Yes, afternoon. It’s 12:07.” Soonyoung bites his lip, and just kind of…  _ looks _ at Jihoon.

Jihoon isn’t sure what his eyes hold, it’s a mixture of emotions, but Jihoon feels himself swimming in them. Something like curiosity, and worry, and nerves… perhaps, apprehension? But there was something else there, something warmer in the deepest depths of brown. Jihoon doesn’t realize he’s leaning in until Soonyoung’s forehead is pressed to his own. They stay like that for a moment, something in Jihoon urging him to nose forward a bit, and press their lips together. Before he can act upon this, Soonyoung is inhaling a deep breath and moving away, sitting up abruptly.

“Jihoon- uh, would you like breakfast?” Soonyoung cheeks are pink, and Jihoon’s brows furrow, but he sits up on his elbows a bit, still looking at Soonyoung. 

“Uh- yeah, I guess, if it’s not trouble…” Jihoon’s heart fills with confliction. He wants to scream ‘ _ get back here and kiss me, dammit!’  _ but in his heart, after all that he said to Soonyoung, and how Soonyoung pulled away, he knows Soonyoung doesn’t want it. Jihoon stares at the hands in his lap as Soonyoung assures him that breakfast is no trouble and he scurries downstairs. Jihoon wonders if he should follow him, and he decides after a few minutes that he should make his way down to the kitchen, and he stands there in the doorway of the kitchen for a moment, watching Soonyoung fry up some eggs, and pop toast out of the toaster and onto a plate. 

Soonyoung looks up for a moment, seeing Jihoon standing there with soft eyes and bedhead and Soonyoung’s too-large shirt hanging off his shoulder slightly. He looks amazing in the early afternoon light, and Soonyoung wants nothing more than to hold him in his arms and press kisses to his forehead and murmur words of softness into his ears.

Soonyoung pulls his eyes away from Jihoon before he gets lost, and focuses in on the food in the pan. The rest of ‘breakfast’ doesn’t take long to make, and soon, he’s setting two plates at the island, one for himself, and one for Jihoon.

Jihoon picks at his food, halfheartedly, his head full of thoughts, and disappointment going through his mind. Soonyoung doesn’t want him. Soonyoung is probably embarrassed, and disgusted, or something. Thinking back, he didn’t exactly seem thrilled when Jihoon said  _ everything _ that he had. “Soonyoung, about last night, I- I’m sorry.” Jihoon doesn’t even look up from his plate, his heart feeling like it’s on fire, like his whole world was crumbling. 

But  _ why? _ He and Soonyoung weren’t even together. He and Soonyoung never really even went on a  _ date _ , but the thought of losing Soonyoung was enough to make him feel like curling up and crying for the rest of his life. 

Soonyoung’s head snaps up, brows furrowed. Jihoon is apologizing, for what? For what he said? Soonyoung’s heart shatters.  _ Fuck _ , he really didn’t mean anything he said when he was drunk. Why was Soonyoung so goddamn stupid to think that Jihoon  _ understood _ everything that Soonyoung had felt for the last month of knowing Jihoon? Ever since that dinner, all those dreams, and daydreams, and late nights with nothing but Jihoon running through his head….

“It’s okay, Jihoon. You were drunk, shit happens. I- I didn’t think it was anything, really. People say stupid things when they’re drunk.” Soonyoung is staring at him, his heart aching, his whole body feeling icy cold. 

“I just- I probably embarrassed you, with the whole thing, I just- I think I had the wrong idea, I thought you- you kind of liked me, like… in that way, and- I mean- I meant every word of it, but- but if you don’t want to talk to me again, then, I completely understand…” Jihoon rambles, his chest getting tighter and tighter with every word, and now he doesn’t think he’ll be able to even make it through the rest of breakfast at this rate.

“You- you thought I didn’t like you? Oh,  _ fuck _ …” Soonyoung leans back in his chair, a wave of relief hitting him. He runs his hands frantically through his hair. 

“What…?”

“I- I thought you only said that stuff because you were drunk, Jihoon, I- I like you so fucking much.”

“Wait, really?” Jihoon lets out a sigh of relief when Soonyoung nods, before he hugs Soonyoung, not even thinking twice about it. Soonyoung just smiles and hugs him, holding him tight for a few moments. 

Jihoon pulls away and looks up at Soonyoung with a smile on his face. Soonyoung’s own smile is reflected back at Jihoon, that smile that makes Jihoon’s heart race, and his cheeks flush. Jihoon finds himself leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips- one that’s soft, but somehow electric, and it lights his heart with the most amazing feeling he’s ever felt- something like fire, something like white hot lightning.

Now Jihoon knows. 

This is his soulmate. This is why he felt this way, this is why he trusted Soonyoung so easily, and why he was his every waking thought when they were apart, and this is why it hurt  _ so much _ to even think that he was losing Soonyoung. Soonyoung is Jihoon’s soulmate. 

** And Jihoon believes, with every fiber of his being, that it’s Soonyoung’s name, written in invisible ink,  _ on his heart.  _  
**

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about the ending, I struggled a lot to end it, but I wanted to get this out there. Hopefully those of you asking for a sequel are satisfied!! I liked writing this AU, honestly. Follow me on twitter @cereal_jbob if you want to keep up with what I post when! I'd really like to interact with you guys more/get your opinions on stuff. Thanks for reading!


End file.
